Matter of consensus

For centuries, language has served as a symbol of collective identity for societies, and it will continue to do so as long as humanity exists.

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Language is a sensitive, inherent part of the culture of any given society. Tweaking with the language system of any society—directly or indirectly—is indeed akin to meddling with the very fabric of that society.

The recent controversy over the National Education Policy (NEP) between the central government and the Tamil Nadu government is an extension of the long-standing debate over language and federalism in India. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has defended the three-language provision of the NEP, saying it creates a level-playing field for students and promotes multilingualism without imposing any particular language. He outrightly dismissed the allegations of Hindi imposition, arguing that the three-language policy allows students to learn Tamil, English, and any other Indian language of their choice.